Throughout this application, various publications, patents, and published patent applications are referred to by an identifying citation. The disclosures of the publications, patents, and published patent specifications referenced in this application are hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains.
There has been considerable interest in recent years in developing high energy density batteries with lithium containing anodes. Lithium metal is particularly attractive as the anode of electrochemical cells because of its extremely light weight and high energy density, compared for example to anodes, such as lithium intercalated carbon anodes, where the presence of non-electroactive materials increases weight and volume of the anode, and thereby reduces the energy density of the cells, and to other electrochemical systems with, for example, nickel or cadmium electrodes. Lithium metal anodes, or those comprising mainly lithium metal, provide an opportunity to construct cells which are lighter in weight, and which have a higher energy density than cells such as lithium-ion, nickel metal hydride or nickel-cadmium cells. These features are highly desirable for batteries for portable electronic devices such as cellular phones and laptop computers where a premium is paid for low weight. Unfortunately, the reactivity of lithium and the associated cycle life, dendrite formation, electrolyte compatibility, fabrication and safety problems have hindered the commercialization of cells with lithium anodes.
The separation of a lithium anode from the electrolyte of the cell is desirable for reasons including the prevention of dendrites during recharging, reaction with the electrolyte, and cycle life. For example, reactions of lithium anodes with the electrolyte may result in the formation of resistive film barriers on the anode. This film barrier increases the internal resistance of the battery and lowers the amount of current capable of being supplied by the battery at the rated voltage.
Many different solutions have been proposed for the protection of lithium anodes including coating the lithium anode with interfacial or protective layers formed from polymers, ceramics, or glasses, the important characteristic of such interfacial or protective layers being to conduct lithium ions. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,460,905 and 5,462,566 to Skotheim describe a film of an n-doped conjugated polymer interposed between the alkali metal anode and the electrolyte. U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,187 to Skotheim and U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,672 to Skotheim et al. describe an electrically conducting crosslinked polymer film interposed between the lithium anode and the electrolyte, and methods of making the same, where the crosslinked polymer film is capable of transmitting lithium ions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,765 to Bates describes a thin layer of a lithium ion conducting ceramic coating between the anode and the electrolyte. Yet further examples of interfacial films for lithium containing anodes are described, for example, in: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,387,479 and 5,487,959 to Koksbang; U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,975 to De Jonghe et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,021 to Fauteux et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,434 to Kawakami et al.
A single protective layer of an alkali ion conducting glassy or amorphous material for alkali metal anodes, for example, in lithium-sulfur cells, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,025,094 to Visco et al. to address the problem of short cycle life.
Despite the various approaches proposed for methods for forming lithium anodes and the formation of interfacial or protective layers, there remains a need for improved methods, which will allow for increased ease of fabrication of cells, while providing for cells with long cycle life, high lithium cycling efficiency, and high energy density.